Insulated and armored rail-joint



C. G. McCAULLEY.

INSULATED AND ARMORED RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-6, 1918. RENEWED FEB. 4,1920.

1 35 1 666; Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

, INSULATION Wit m cm after 4 unit CHARLES G, McCAU'LLEY, or WAsI-IINeToN, DISTRICT on con n A, AssIcrNoR o I THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

INSULATED AND Anivronnn nAIn-JoINT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug.31,

Application filed September 6, 1918, Serial No. 252,941. Renewed February 4:, 1920. Serial No. 356,124.

To'aZZ whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. McCAUL- LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washingtomin the District of'Columbi'a, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Insulated and ArmoredRail- Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. My present invention relates to rail-joints or splice-bars for connecting the abutting ends of railway rails, havingparticular reference to insulated joints, and'to; novel and improved means for interrupting the electrical continuity of track rails used in connection with railway signaling apparatus.

It has for an object the production of armored insulators of the character indicated, whereby the insulating material is carefully preserved and its life materially extended.

It has for a further object the formation of armored insulated rail-joints which are peculiarly efficient, durable and reliable in the performance of their intended functions both mechanical and electrical.

l/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the present invention will be hereinparticularly described, and then pointed out by the claims following Although capable of various modifications in the matter of form construction and arrangement of parts, and although adaptable for use in connection with various typesof rail-joints and rails, a convenient and practical embodiment of the present invention is exemplified by the accompanying drawings, in which, 5

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through one railway rail, its splice bars, insulating'material, and armor blocks or individual contactplates.

7 ends of two'rails, and one insulated splice bar in operative position, and,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one insulation and armor-retaining frame, including one block or contact plate detached. 7

Reference being had to the drawings, whereon like characters represent corre insulated rail joint.

Fig. 2' is a side elevation 'Ofthe adjacentnary railway rails spaced apart by a block -.of fiber or other insulating material 6 for the purpose of interrupting the electrical Upon opposite sidesof the rail ends 5, 5

- are splice bars 7 which embody my present improvements, and collectively constitute an These bars as shown, mayfbe of standard size and shape, although it should be understood that theexact form and shape of bars 7 constitutes no part of I continuity ofsaid rails at certain-predetermined track, Intervals.

the present invention, and in this respect 7 they may be altered indefinitely to meet varying conditions and requirements.

The two opposing bars 7 are counterparts one of the other, and similarly equipped, so

that a description of one with its, cooperating elements or equipmentwill sui'lice for both. Surmounting the upper edge ofv each bar 7 is a skeleton fr'amefS of angular cross sectional shape, comprising parallel sides connected at predetermined 1 intervals by transverse webs 9 ofintegral construction,

thus providing said angular frame with a series of alined openings 10., Within each openinglO- a compressed strip or strips of fiber or other insulating material 11 of a thickness slightly less than that of the frame 8 is placed, as best shown by Fig. 1, while directly upon each of said insulating pads 11, and still within the confines of its respective opening 10, is located an' angular metallic block or, contact plate 12, also clearly shown by Fig. '1, and in detail as a part of Fig. 3.

The same system is'followed below as a means of insulating thebase or-foot of each bar 7 from adjacent rails. Here is pro- 'vided another skeleton frame 13 of somewhat larger dimensions, but following the general contour of the base'of bars ;7, having parallel sides 14: connected at intervals by Webs or crossbars 15 to form openings 16, eachprovided'with asuitable insulatlng pad 17, in turn surmounted by an armor-block or contact-plate 18, as best shown by Flg; 1.

Thisbeing a description of one embodiment of my present invention, its use and operation will be quite apparent to persons and lower skeleton retaining-frames abutting rail ends, and equipped with upper as aforesaid, with interposed insulating pads and armor-blocks or contact-plates as shown,

I are thereupon drawn up snugly by agency of through-bolt 19 in the usual and well understood manner. N

This accomplished, it will be quite apparent that the bars 7 and rails 5 are effectually insulated, the retaining-plates and insulating pads are held securely in operative position against the possibility of accidental dislodgment and that the armor-blocks only come in direct contact with the head and foot of their respective rails. In this combination and correlation of parts also it is equally apparent that the-insulating material cannot get out of place, nor be unduly punished and further compressed V at any particular point or points including the extreme rail ends where vibration is naturally most pronounced. I

Having thus described my present invention, what I new claim and desire to secure by- Letters Patent is:

1. In an insulated rail joint the combination with a pair of splice bars and intervening rails, of suitable insulating pads projecting from said bars, contact plates interposed between said pads and the rails, and means common to both pads and plates for retaining them in operative position.

2. In an insulated rail joint the combination with a pair of splice bars and intervening'rails', of suitable insulating pads projecting from said bars, contact plates interposed between said pads and the rails, and a metallic frame surrounding said insulating pads and contact plates as the means of retaining them in operative position.

3. In an 'insulated'rail joint the combination with a pair of splice-bars and intervening rails, of a series of independent insulating pads projecting from said bars, a corresponding series of contact plates interposed between said pads and the rails, and a metallic retaining frame having a series of openings from which said pads and plates project.

at. In an insulated rail joint the combination with a'- pair of splice bars and interveiiing rails, of suitable independent insulating pads pro ecting from the head and base of said bars respect vely, contact plates interposed between said pads and the rails,

and metallic retaining frames adjacent the heads and bases ofsaid bars respectively, for

surrounding said insulating pads and contact plates to retain them in operative position.

5. In an insulated rail joint the combination with a pair of splice-bars and intervening rails, of suitable independent insuiating pads projecting from both edges of said bars, contact-plates interposed between said pads and the rails, and metallic frames conforming in shape respectively, to the head and base of said bars for interlocking therewith and surrounding said insulating pads and Contact plates to retain them in operative position.

6. An insulated rail joint including a re taining member fitting the head of the splice .bar and having a keeper element and an iiisulating unit retained in position by said keeper element and engaging the head of the rail. V

7. An insulated rail joint including a retaining member fitting the-head of the splice bar and having a plurality .of keeper elements, and an insulating unit. engaging a keeper element and the head of the rail.

8. An insulated rail joint including a metallic retaining member fitting the head of the splice bar and having a plurality of keeper elements, and an insulating. unit engaging a keeper element and the head of the rail. i

9. An insulated rail joint including a perfcrate retaining member fitting the head. of

- unit engaging a perforation of said member.

11. An insulated rail joint including a perforate retaining member fittingthe head of the splice bar and an insulating unit fitting within a perforation of said member and engaging the head of the rail.

12. An insulated rail joint including a perforate retaining member fitting the head of the splice bar, and an insulating unit fitting within a perforation ofsaid member and engaging both the head of the bar and the head of the'rail. r V I 13. Aninsulated rail joint. including a perforate frame fitting the head of the splice bar and an insulating unit engaging a perforation of said frame.

14. An insulated rail joint including a perforate metallic frame fitting the head of the splice bar and an insulating unit engaging a perforation of said frame;

15. Aninsulated rail joint. including a re-- taiiiing member fitting the head of the splice bar and having a plurality of keeper ele ments, and an insulating unit engaging a V keeper element and consisting of a pad of insulation and a metal contact plate fitting the pad.

16. An insulated rail joint including a perforate metallic frame fittingthe head of the splice bar and an insulating unitfitting Y within a perforationof the frame and seated on the head of the bar, said unit consisting V of a pad of insulation and a metal contact plate fitting said pad.

17. An insulated rail joint including a punched metal strip fitting the splice bar, and an insulating unit engaging a punchedout part of the strip.

CHARLES Gr. MOCAULLEY.

Witnesses WM. E. DYRE,

HARRIETTE B. McCAUiLEY. 

